This invention relates to a connector device for use in electric and electronic appliances such as mobile or cellular phones, notebook personal computers, digital cameras, and the like, and more particularly to a connector device with a structure achieving a miniaturization of the connector (high density of conductors) and at the same time high speed transmission of signals by causing respective contacts to come into contact with contact portions of a flexible printed circuit board and simultaneously causing members to be in contact with a ground layer arranged between a front and a rear surface of the flexible printed circuit board by pivotal movement of a pivoting member after the flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into the connector.
A connector generally comprises at least a plurality of contacts, a housing for arranging and holding the contacts, and a pivoting member mounted on the housing for causing the contacts to be elastically deformed so as to be in contact with a connecting object by means of a pivotal movement of the pivoting member. The contacts each have a contact portion adapted to contact the connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate. The housing has a required number of inserting holes for receiving the contacts and a fitting opening into which the connecting object (a flexible printed circuit board, flexible flat cable, or the like) is inserted. The pivoting member is provided with pushing portions for causing the contacts to be elastically deformed.
Incorporated hereinafter are Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160 (Patent Literature 1) disclosing a rear locking type connector, Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987 (Patent Literature 2) disclosing a feature of two contacts inserted in one and the same inserting hole of a housing, and Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067 (Patent Literature 3) and Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271 (Patent Literature 4) both disclosing connectors using locking members having a construction of the same as that of contacts of rear locking type, these applications being proposed by the applicant of the present application. Moreover, incorporated herein is Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-184,097 (Patent Literature 5) which is an improvement in the invention of the Patent Literature 2.
Patent Literature 1
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160, this invention has an object to provide a connector being capable of securely pushing a flexible printed circuit board 40 or flexible flat cable to contact portions 22 of contacts 14 by means of a slider 16 without degrading strengths of respective members and specifications or customers demands, and achieving a superior operationality, narrower pitches of conductors and a reduced overall height. Disclosed is a connector comprising contacts 14 each having a contact portion 22, a connection portion 24, and an elastic portion 34 and a fulcrum portion 32 between the contact portion 22 and the connection portion 24, and a pressure receiving portion 20 extending from the elastic portion 34 in a position facing to the connection portion 24, and the contact portion 22, elastic portion 34, fulcrum portion 32 and connection portion 24 being arranged in the form of a crank, and a slider 16 comprising pushing portions 36 arranged continuously in the longitudinal direction and the slider 16 being pivotally mounted on a housing 12 so that the pushing portions 36 are pivotally movable between the connection portions 22 and pressure receiving portions 20 of the contacts 14.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-71,160 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for pushing said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to said contacts, wherein said contacts each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion and located in a position facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of said contacts. Claim 2 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and a slider for pushing said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable to said contacts, wherein two kinds of contacts are arranged to be alternately staggered, the contacts of one kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in a position facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kind each comprising an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and a connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in the opposite direction from the contact portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and wherein said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the other kind and said housing. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein when the pushing portions of said slider are pivotally moved between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of said contacts of the one kind, said pressure receiving portions are raised by the pushing portions so that said elastic portions are tilted about said fulcrum portions toward said contact portions to push said contact portions against said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure receiving portions of said contacts of the one kind or the other kind are each provided at the tip with an extended portion so that the pushing portions of said slider are prevented from moving toward the connection portions of said contacts of the one kind. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pushing portions of said slider are of an elongated shape. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein said slider is formed with a required number of anchoring holes independent from one another, which are adapted to engage the extended portions of said contacts, respectively. Claim 7 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein the elongated shape of said pushing portions is elliptical. Claim 8 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein said contacts of the one kind are each provided with a further contact portion at a location extending from the fulcrum portion and adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable. Claim 9 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein said contacts of the other kind are each provided with an extension portion extending from said fulcrum in the opposite direction from the connection portion, and said slider is mounted on said housing so that the pushing portions of said slider are pivotally movable between the extension portions and the pressure receiving portions. Claim 10 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein said contacts of the other kind are each further provided between the fulcrum portion and the connection portion with a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable.
Patent Literature 2
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987, this invention has an object to provide a connector enabling narrow pitches and being used with a flexible printed circuit board having contact portions on both surfaces. Disclosed is a connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion 52 adapted to contact a flexible printed circuit board 22, and a housing 12 for holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening 24 for inserting the flexible printed circuit board 22, wherein when the flexible printed circuit board 22 has contact portions 52 on both front and rear surfaces, contacts 14 and 16 of two kinds are used in a manner such that the contacts 14 of one kind are inserted into the housing from the opposite side of the fitting opening 24 so as to permit their contact portions 30 to contact the contact portions 52 on the front surface of the circuit board 22, and the contacts 16 of the other kind are inserted into the housing 12 from the side of the fitting opening 24 so as to permit their contact portions 20 to contact the contact portions 52 on the rear surface of the circuit board 22.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-206,987 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening for inserting the flexible printed circuit board, wherein when the flexible printed circuit board has contact portions on both front and rear surfaces, contacts of two kinds are used in a manner such that the contacts of one kind are inserted into the housing from the opposite side of the fitting opening so as to permit their contact portions to contact the contact portions on the front surface of the circuit board, and the contacts of the other kind are inserted into the housing from the side of the fitting opening so as to permit their contact portions to contact the contact portions on the rear surface of the circuit board. Claim 2 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein a pair of contacts are formed by two contacts of the two kinds and arranged so that their contact portions are facing to each other so as to embrace said flexible printed board by the opposite contact portions of the respective pairs. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact portions of the pairs of contacts are staggered with respect to the longitudinal direction. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 3, wherein said housing is provided with a recess on the side of said fitting opening for conducting said flexible printed circuit board, and the contacts of the other kind are arranged such that their connection portions do not extend from the recess of said housing. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 4, wherein in order to form a zero insertion-force (ZIF) structure which does not require a force when said flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the housing, a slider is used which is pushed against the contacts after said flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into the housing. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein the contacts of the one kind each include an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion at a location facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being substantially in the form of a crank, and the contacts of the other kinds each include a contact portion and a connection portion and are so arranged that their connection portions are in the recess of said housing, and wherein said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction and said slider is mounted on said housing so as to permit said pushing portions to be pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind.
Patent Literature 3
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067, the object of this invention is to provide a connector 10 ensuring a required holding force for a flexible printed circuit board 22 without any defective or failed connection even with less conductors. Disclosed is a connector 10 detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board 22, including a required number of contacts 14 each having a contact portion 30 adapted to contact the flexible printed circuit board 22, and a housing 12 holding and fixing the contacts 14 and having a fitting opening 24 into which the flexible printed circuit board 22 is inserted, wherein the circuit board 22 is provided with anchoring portions 54, and locking members 20 each having an engaging portion 56 adapted to engage said anchoring portion 54 of the circuit board are installed into the housing 12 so that the engaging portions 56 of the locking members 20 are caused to engage the anchoring portions 54 of the circuit board 22, thereby preventing the circuit board 22 from being removed from the housing 12, and wherein grooves 57 are provided at positions corresponding to said engaging portions 56 to ensure a more reliable locking.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-221,067 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board, including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion to contact said flexible printed circuit board, and a housing holding and fixing the contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and locking members each having an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion of said circuit board are installed in said housing so that the engaging portions of said locking members are caused to engage the anchoring portions of said circuit board, thereby preventing the circuit board from being removed from said housing. Claim 2 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein grooves are provided at locations facing to said engaging portions. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said locking members are each provided with a connection portion for connecting to the circuit board so that the connection portions serve to fix the locking members to the circuit board. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein in order to form a zero insertion-force (ZIF) structure which does not require a force when said flexible printed circuit board is inserted into the fitting opening of said housing, a slider is used which pushes said flexible printed circuit board against said contacts after said flexible printed circuit board has been inserted into the housing, and the engaging portions of said locking members are caused to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board when the circuit board is pushed against said contacts by said slider. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in any one of claims 2, 3 and 4, wherein said grooves are provided in a manner such that flat portions of said engaging portions engage said anchoring portions when the engaging portions of said locking portions engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing is provided on the side of said fitting opening with a recess for conducting said flexible printed circuit board, and said contacts are so arranged in said housing that the connection portions of said contacts do not extend out of the recess of said housing. Claim 7 recites the connector claimed in claim 6, wherein contacts of two kinds are arranged to be staggered so that connection portions of the contacts of the one kind are arranged on the opposite side of the fitting opening of said housing, and connection portions of the contacts of the other kind and of said locking members are arranged so as not to extend from the recess of said housing. Claim 8 recites the connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein the contacts of the one kind each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, and an extension portion extending from said elastic portion at a location facing to said connection portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, wherein the contacts of the other kind each comprise an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion between the contact portion and the connection portion, a pressure receiving portion extending from said elastic portion in the opposite direction from the contact portion, and an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion to be facing to the pressure receiving portion, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and the contacts of the other kind are arranged so that said connection portions are within the recess of said housing, and wherein said slider is provided with pushing portions arranged continuously in its longitudinal direction, and said slider is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts of the one kind and between the pressure receiving portions and the extension portions of the contacts of the other kind. Claim 9 recites the connector claimed in claim 8, wherein said locking members are the same in construction as the contacts of the other kind.
Patent Literature 4
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271, this invention has an object to provide a connector ensuring a stable holding force for a flexible printed circuit board, even the connector having a small number of conductors, without causing defective or failed connection, and achieving a more reduced overall height of the connector. Disclosed is a connector for achieving this object, wherein a flexible printed circuit board 80 is provided with anchoring portions 82, and locking members each include a first piece 20 having at one end an engaging portion 24 adapted to engage the anchoring portion 82, at the other end a pressure receiving portion 26 to be pushed by a pivoting member, and an extended portion 34 inwardly extending from the tip of the pressure receiving portion 26, a second piece 22 having at one end a connection portion 30 to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion 32 for jointing the first piece 20 and the other end of the second piece 22, and wherein the locking members are installed in the housing 12 so that when the pivoting member 16 is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions 24 of the locking members 18 to engage the anchoring portions 82 of the flexible printed circuit board 82, there are no second pieces 22 at locations facing to the engaging portions 24, and the housing 12 is provided with notches 42 at locations corresponding to the locking members 18.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2006-147,271 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), including a plurality of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, locking members adapted to engage said flexible printed circuit board, and a pivoting member for elastically deforming said contacts and said locking members, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and said locking members each comprise a first piece having at one end an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion extending inwardly from a tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end or the other end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion for jointing said first piece and the other end or one end of said second piece, and wherein said locking members are installed in said housing, and said housing is provided with notches at locations corresponding to said locking members on the side of the upper surface of said housing. Claim 2 recites a connector detachably fitted with a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), including a plurality of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, a housing holding and fixing said contacts and having a fitting opening into which said flexible printed circuit board is inserted, locking members adapted to engage said flexible printed circuit board, and a pivoting member for elastically deforming said contacts and said locking members, wherein said flexible printed circuit board is provided with anchoring portions, and said locking members each comprise a first piece having at one end an engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion extending inwardly from a tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and a jointing fulcrum portion for jointing said first piece and the other end of said second piece, and wherein said locking members are installed in said housing, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions of said locking members to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board, there are not said second pieces at locations facing to said engaging portions. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 2, wherein the height of said second pieces is 0.08 to 0.12 mm. Claim 4 recites the connector claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein said second pieces are each provided with an extension portion extending from said jointing fulcrum portion in a direction so as to face to said engaging portion, said extension portion being shorter than the engaging portion of said first piece so that the extension portion does not come to a position facing to said engaging portion when said pivoting member is pivotally moved to cause the engaging portions of said locking members to engage the anchoring portions of said flexible printed circuit board. Claim 5 recites the connector claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking members are each provided with a fixing portion between the tip of the extension portion of said second piece and said jointing fulcrum portion. Claim 6 recites the connector claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end a contact portion adapted to contact said flexible printed circuit board, at the other end a pressure receiving portion to be pushed by said pivoting member, and an extended portion inwardly extending from the tip of said pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end a connection portion to be connected to a substrate and at the other end an extension portion extending from a fulcrum portion, and a jointing portion for jointing said first piece and the fulcrum portion of said second piece, and said contact portion, said jointing portion, said fulcrum portion, and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a U-shape, and, wherein said pivoting member comprises an actuating member for pivotally moving it, pushing portions provided continuously in the longitudinal direction, and anchoring holes for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said contacts and said locking members, and said pivoting member is mounted on said housing so that said pushing portions are pivotally movable between the pressure receiving portions and the extension portions of said contacts and between the pressure receiving portions and the connection portions of said locking members.
Patent Literature 5
According to the abstract of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-184,097, this invention has an object to provide a connector having a construction which prevents the contacts from being warped or deformed when the pivoting member is being pivotally moved, and achieves a stable electrical connection, a reduced overall height of the connector and a high density of the conductors. Disclosed is a connector including first and second contacts of which one first contact 14 and one second contact 15 are inserted into one and the same inserting hole 38 of a housing 12 such that contact portions 22 of the first and second contacts are facing to each other, the first contacts 14 each including the contact portion 22 at one end and a connection portion 24 at the other end, and the second contacts 15 each including a first piece 19 having the contact portion 22 at one end and a pressure receiving portion 20 at the other end, a second piece 21 having a connection portion 24 at an outer end, and an elastic jointing-portion 31 for jointing the first piece 19 and the remaining end of the second piece 21, and a pivoting member 16 having an actuating portion 37, pushing portions 36, and anchoring holes 30, the pushing portions 36 being pivotally moved between the pressure receiving portions 20 and the connection portions 24 of the second contacts 15, during which pivotal movement, the axis 50 of rotation of the pushing portions 36 is moved with their pivotal movement to achieve their compact rotation, and further the second contacts 15 being each provided on the second piece 21 with a fixing portion 42 in the proximity of the elastic jointing-portion 31.
By the way, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-184,097 recites a connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact a connecting object, and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on the opposite side of said fitting opening and causing said contacts to be elastically deformed so as to push said contacts against said connecting object, wherein said contacts consist of two kinds of first contacts and second contacts, and a first contact and a second contact are arranged in one and the same inserting hole of said housing so that the contact portions of the first and second contacts are facing to each other, wherein said first contacts each comprise the contact portion at one end and the connection portion at the other end, and said second contacts each comprise a first piece having the contact portion at one end and a pressure receiving portion at the other end, a second piece having the connection portion at an outer end, and an elastic jointing-portion for jointing said first piece and the remaining end of said second piece, wherein said pivoting member comprises an actuating portion for pivotally moving said pivoting member, pushing portions provided continuously in the longitudinal direction of the pivoting member, and anchoring holes independent from one another for receiving therein said pressure receiving portions, respectively, and said pushing portions are pivotally movable between said pressure receiving portions and said connection portions of said contacts, during which pivotal movement, the axis of rotation of said pushing portions is moved with their pivotal movement to achieve their compact rotation, and wherein said second contacts are each provided on said second piece with a fixing portion located in the proximity of said elastic jointing-portion, thereby preventing said second contacts from being warped when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved. Claim 2 recites the connector claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting object is provided with anchoring portions on both sides in its width direction, and locking members each having engaging portion adapted to engage said anchoring portion are installed in said housing, and wherein said locking members each comprise a first piece having said engaging portion at one end and a pressure receiving portion at the other end, a second piece having a connection portion at an outer end, and an elastic jointing-portion for jointing said first piece and the remaining end of said second piece, and said locking members are each further provided on said second piece with a fixing portion located in the proximity of said elastic jointing-portion. Claim 3 recites the connector claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein under a state that said connecting object is not inserted into said fitting opening of said housing, the contact portions of said second contacts are in said inserting holes without extending beyond the upper surface of said fitting opening into said fitting opening, and the contact portions of said first contacts extend beyond the lower surface of said fitting opening into said fitting opening so that the distance between tips of the contact portions of said first contacts and the upper surface of said fitting opening is smaller than the thickness of said connecting object, and wherein under a state that said connecting object has been inserted into said fitting opening of said housing and said pivoting member has been pivotally moved, said connecting object remains in contact with the contact portions of said first contacts without said connecting object being raised upwardly beyond the upper surface of the fitting opening of said housing even when said connecting object is accidentally subjected to an external force.
In recent years, with miniaturization of electric and electronic appliances, there have been an increasing demand for lighter and more compact connectors (miniaturization of connectors). In more detail, there have been increasing demands for lighter and more compact connector devices including a flexible printed circuit board (miniaturization of connector devices), and for more miniaturization of connector devices (high-density of conductors) and high-speed transmission of signals resulting from reduction in cross talk and the like.
However, there are conflicting problems for realizing the miniaturization of connectors (high density of conductors) and high speed transmission of signals. The realization of the high-speed transmission of signals involves matching of characteristic impedance and reduction in cross talk and skew. The realization of the miniaturization (high-density) involves employing narrow pitches. However, the matching of characteristic impedance and the reduction in cross talk make it difficult to realize the narrow pitches (less than 0.4 mm). In order to realize the narrow pitch less than 0.3 mm, it is envisioned to arrange the contacts to be staggered. However, such a staggered arrangement of contacts makes it impossible to reduce the skew.
With the construction of connectors disclosed in the Patent Literature 1, 3 and 4, although the lighter or more compact connectors can be realized, it would be difficult to realize due to higher-density of conductors and high-speed transmission of signals may comes to a problem of reduction in cross talk and the like. On the other hand, with the connector disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, although the lighter or more compact and high-density connector can be realized, it would be impossible to realize the high-speed transmission of signals resulting from the problem of reduction in cross talk and the like.
As in the Patent Literature 5, if the flexible printed circuit board is provided with contact portions on its front and rear surfaces, 0.2 mm of signal pitch can be obtained with a pitch of 0.4 mm on each of both surfaces without arranging the contacts to be staggered. However, the high-speed transmission of signals could not be achieved due to the problem of matching of characteristic impedance on both the surfaces and the reduction of cross talk. Even with an intermediate ground layer provided, an increase in ground pass due to through-hole connection would be likely to occur.
With the rear locking type connectors (the pivoting member is pivotally moved on the opposite side of the fitting opening to cause the contacts to be pushed to the connecting object) as disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4, further, after a connecting object such as a flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable has been inserted into the fitting opening of the housing, when the pushing portions of the pivoting member are pivotally moved between the connection portions and the pressure receiving portions of the contacts, the pressure receiving portions are raised (pushed upward) by the pushing portions to cause the elastic portions of the contacts to be tilted about the fulcrum portions toward the contact portions so that the contact portions are pushed to the connecting object such as the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, thereby achieving the contact between the contact portions of the contacts and the connecting object. With such a construction disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4, however, when the pressure receiving portions of the contacts are pushed by the pushing portions of the pivoting member, the pressure receiving portions are moved upward (toward the above viewed in FIG. 14A) to cause the contact portions of the contacts to be pushed to the connecting object such as the flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable as described above. At that time, with the constructions disclosed in the Patent Literatures 1 to 4, the contact portions are raised (toward the above viewed in FIG. 14A) about the fixed portions of the contacts as fulcrum portions by the reaction forces arising from the connecting object such as flexible printed circuit board or flexible flat cable, and the elastic portions are also raised by the reaction forces. In this way, the intended function described above would be impeded, resulting in an unstable connection between the contacts and the connecting object. This problem has remained to be solved.
With the connector using the two kinds of contacts arranged above and below to embrace the connecting object by pushing the contact portions of the contacts in the above position as disclosed in the Patent Literature 2, if the contact portions positioned in the above are caused to be raised, the force for pushing the contact portions against the connecting object becomes weak to make it difficult to embrace the connecting object, resulting in a more unstable connection between the contacts and the connecting object.
Even with the locking members similar in construction to the contacts as disclosed in the Patent Literatures 3 and 4, there would be a possibility of causing the engaging portions adapted to engage the connecting object to be raised so that the holding force for the connecting object would be lowered.
FIG. 16 illustrates S-parameters of combinations of hitherto used flexible printed circuit board and connector. Referring to FIG. 16 illustrating curves of Sdd 11 to Sdd 41 representing values of signal attenuation, the attenuation value of Sdd 21 is less than −3 dB at the frequency of 1.5 GHz in a transmission rate of 3 Gbps, and the value of Sdd 31 is more than −40 dB. While the value of Sdd 41 is also −40 dB, and the value of Sdd 11 of return loss is more than −15 dB over the entire zone. In a graph shown in FIG. 17, moreover, results of eye patterns at 3 Gbps are also clearly shown. From these results, the hitherto used devices would be able to transmit signals of 3 Gbps.